“I guess we won’t quarrel about that,” said the old woman, so immensely relieved that she was almost resigned to the prospect of a Schulze, a strong-minded Schulze and a practicing female doctor, as a daughter-in-law.

“Madelene is coming up to see you this morning,” continued Arthur.  “I know you’ll make her—­welcome.”  This wistfully, for he was now awake to the prejudices his mother must be fighting.

“I’ll have the horses hitched up, and go and see her,” said Ellen, promptly.  “She’s a good girl.  Nobody could ever say a word against her character, and that’s the main thing.”  She began to contrast Madelene and Janet, and the situation brightened.  At least, she was getting a daughter-in-law whom she could feel at ease with, and for whom she could have respect, possibly even liking of a certain reserved kind.

“I suggested that you’d come,” Arthur was replying.  “But Madelene said she’d prefer to come to you.  She thinks it’s her place, whether it’s etiquette or not.  We’re not going to go in for etiquette—­Madelene and I.”

Mrs. Ranger looked amused.  This from the young man who had for years been “picking” at her because she was unconventional!  “People will misunderstand you, mother,” had been his oft-repeated polite phrase.  She couldn’t resist a mild revenge.  “People’ll misunderstand, if she comes.  They’ll think she’s running after me.”

Like all renegades, the renegades from the religion of conventionality are happiest when they are showing their contempt for that before which they once knelt.  “Let ’em think,” retorted Arthur cheerfully.  “I’ll telephone her it’s all right,” he said, as he rose from the table, “and she’ll be up here about eleven.”

And exactly at eleven she came, not a bit self-conscious or confused.  Mrs. Ranger looked up at her—­she was more than a head the taller—­and found a pair of eyes she thought finest of all for their honesty looking down into hers.  “I reckon we’ve got—­to kiss,” said she, with a nervous laugh.

“I reckon so,” said Madelene, kissing her, and then, after a glance and an irresistible smile, kissing her again.  “You were awfully put out when Arthur told you, weren’t you?”

“Well, you know, the saying is ‘A bad beginning makes a good ending,’” said Ellen.  “Since there was only Arthur left to me, I hadn’t been calculating on a daughter-in-law to come and take him away.”

Madelene felt what lay behind that timid, subtle statement of the case.  Her face shadowed.  She had been picturing a life, a home, with just Arthur and herself; here was a far different prospect opening up.  But Mrs. Ranger was waiting, expectant; she must be answered.  “I couldn’t take him away from you,” Madelene said.  “I’d only lose him myself if I tried.”

Tears came into Ellen’s eyes and her hands clasped in her lap to steady their trembling.  “I know how it is,” she said.  “I’m an old woman, and”—­with an appeal for contradiction that went straight to Madelene’s heart—­“I’m afraid I’d be in the way?”